Ethan Sterling
Unless you happen to buy the winning Powerball ticket from your local gas station, moving forward in life and becoming successful won’t happen overnight.
You have to want it bad enough, and your habits should consistently reflect that.
You have to be willing to sacrifice certain things that might bring you comfort but are ultimately in your way from achieving great things.
First things first: identify these roadblocks.
I’m here to help.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the things you need to let go of, if you want to move forward in life.
If these items sound familiar, consider it time to start acting. Let’s get to it!
1) Staying in your comfort zone
Successful people are well aware of it: to achieve anything of value in life, some element of risk will always be involved.
The problem is that many people are content to confine themselves, almost stubbornly and instinctively resistant to change or new things.
But the thing is, staying within the bounds of what is familiar and comfortable will prevent growth, and stifle fresh, exciting opportunities.
If you want to keep moving forward, you have to accept that change in this world is inevitable.
Think about the most innovative companies in the world.
Have a couple in mind? Well, chances are, they didn’t get to where they are by staying in one place, content with limiting themselves.
They reached groundbreaking heights in large part because they took risks, and left their respective comfort zones, embracing new methods instead of clinging to old ways.
Be like your favorite company. Embrace change and the new, or you will likely be left behind.
2) Having a fear of failure
Typically, many people won’t leave their comfort zone because deep down, they have a fear of failure.
Successful people have a healthy relationship with failure.
For starters, they aren’t paralyzed by fear by the sheer prospect of it like many are.
People who have accomplished things and gone places understand that so as long as they’re alive, failure will always be in the cards.
After all, “to err is human.”
The real tragedy is never trying because you’re scared.
When you don’t try, you’re depriving yourself of learning new things and creating opportunities.
Remember, there’s no shame in failure, it makes you human.
How you bounce back is what will define you in the long run.
You can have all the potential in the world but if you don’t have the right habits, it’ll all go to waste.
I’ve met so many people who were practically crippled from moving forward in life because their approach to failure was off.
Rather than move forward with confidence, they would dwell excessively on past blunders, a practice that would take so much energy, any meaningful progress was halted.
Not good.
3) Staying in negative relationships
They say you’re an average of the five people you spend the most time with.
In my life, I’ve found the latter to be mostly true.
Start creating bonds and hanging around people who can lift you up, who can bring out the best in you, not bring you down with their cynicism and unhealthy habits.
You deserve better.
If your friends are getting blackout drunk multiple times a week, have the same predictable conversations all the time, or have zero ambition in life, consider it time to start changing things up.
When you make the transition, the difference in your life will be palpable. I guarantee it.
4) Being too much of a perfectionist
I have a friend who is a huge romantic.
All her life, she has idealized the perfect man to sweep her off her feet, like a Disney movie from the 90s.
This mentality has meant that her standards for a mate in life have been unrealistically high.
She’s had countless suitors over the years but has turned them all down because she was holding out for someone better; someone who fulfilled more of the criteria of the archetypal Disney prince.
She holds out for someone essentially, by definition, perfect.
Of course, the man of her dreams probably doesn’t exist… and if he does, the chances of her meeting him soon are slim.
Until then, she will likely live in a state of limbo.
You see, whether it’s for romance, work, or life in general, waiting for the perfect moment or trying to achieve perfect results can lead to missed opportunities, and regret down the line.
To move forward with life, you have to accept that the constant quest for perfection is rarely worth it.
Don’t settle but at the same time don’t burn yourself out trying to relentlessly find the flawless option.
Strive for balance in all that you do, and the results will follow.
5) Comparing yourself to others
Comparing yourself to others is risky business… and the problem is nobody is safe from it.
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re currently through the golden age of comparison.
Go on your phone and within seconds you’ll see someone, either a friend or a stranger, living a life that is seemingly better than yours.
Hence, if you aren’t careful, this is an easy and dangerous trap to fall into.
Constantly measuring your success in life against others can lead to feelings of inadequacy, stress, distraction, and even depression.
So for now, forget how everyone else is doing.
Step back and try to assess your state in life objectively.
Your satisfaction and happiness should come from within, not relative to everyone else. Real talk.
6) Not including goals
This one is a no-brainer.
Without goals, life will feel like you’re just going through the motions, with no concrete direction.
Left unchecked, this feeling can spiral into chronic demotivation.
Eventually, life will feel stagnant, like you’re in a never-ending state of dissatisfaction.
This is not the place you want to be if you want to move forward in life.
Take this as a cue to start creating a few new goals for yourself, both short and long-term, both professional and personal.
Having clear, defined goals will give you more purpose.
Once you’re ready, chip away at these goals daily. Track your progress. Celebrate milestones.
7) Having unhealthy habits
Not only are you what you eat, you’re a product of your habits in general.
So if you tend to hold onto habits that are unhealthy, expect this to reflect how you feel about yourself and about life.
Indulging on occasion is fine, even encouraged, but if hedonistic behaviors become a predominant theme of your days, this can be incredibly concerning.
Let go of bad habits. As mentioned, strive for balance and moderation above all else.
Don’t drink and smoke to excess.
Don’t have a diet consisting solely of chicken nuggets and ice cream.
Don’t mindlessly scroll through Instagram for hours at a time.
Get regular exercise. Get outdoors. Prioritize self-care.
Once you make the shift and gain healthier habits, achieving your full potential becomes a far more manageable task… and soon, a whole new reality will present itself to you.
You got this.
